The Liao soldiers ahead had turned around, and Ye Nuhaci raised his iron hammer to strike at Liu Bugun. Liu Bugun, hearing the rush of wind behind him, leaned to the left, and with a backhanded stroke of his Mo Ye sword, “clang” he deflected the twin hammers, then leaped forward, eager to escape the enemy’s formation. Xu Caitong, mounted on her horse, watched from afar as Liu Bugun swung his sword, leaving no armor intact on the enemies; she clearly saw an ancient war god, fighting bloodily to save humanity, splitting the heavens and the earth. “Am I seeing things?” Xu Caitong shook her head and rubbed her eyes hard. Suddenly, there was movement in the grass, startling Xu Caitong. The word “demon” flashed through her mind, recalling a scene from a dream. Xu Caitong tightened the reins, spurred the horse hard, and the black horse let out a long neigh, charging forward with all four hooves. Liu Bugun, hearing the neigh from afar, felt his heart sink. He had been so focused on slaying the enemy that he had neglected her safety. He used a move called “Splitting Heaven and Earth,” sweeping down several Liao soldiers around him. Although the Mo Ye sword was not drawn from its sheath, it exuded endless killing intent and force. Liu Bugun, with no heart for further battle, was concerned about Caitong’s safety; the neigh of the black horse earlier indicated she might be in trouble. Liu Bugun feinted a move, jumped out of the battle, and ran towards where the black horse had galloped, but where was the trace of the black horse and Caitong? Liu Bugun grew anxious, ran for dozens of miles, stood on a hill, but still saw no sign of Caitong or the black horse. “Caitong, Caitong—” Liu Bugun’s calls echoed over the hill. Liu Bugun’s footsteps covered the area outside Huangzhou City, searching for Caitong for several days without success. He had committed such a grave mistake, he hated himself, and he knelt down in despair.
Chapter Seven
